Onward and Outward: Leaving Microsoft (again)

Yesterday was my last day at Microsoft. Today, I’m having a beer…

This caps off 7+ years over a 9 year stretch that all started with the acquisition of a small company (Valence Research, Inc.) in Portland back in 1998. That led me to a product manager job on Windows Server and later roles in developer marketing working on community outreach (including helping launch INETA) and student programs. I finished up most recently working with the Online Services Group – MSN, Windows Live, and Live Search – PR team on blogger and community engagement.

Suffice it to say there were a lot of office moves, building changes, road trips, conferences, launches, morale events, and so on that I could try and recount, but I’ll save those details for nostalgia blog posts down the road. The best part for me is recalling all the amazing people I had the honor of working with and for across those jobs – some have moved on outside the company, many are still part of it, yet all of them made Microsoft a fascinating place to work. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a next big step in their career.

But enough with looking backwards!

What’s next for me?

• Head to Vegas with the wife for a few days of blistering hot weather and drinks by the pool.
• Take a week off for puttering about the house catching up on the vast array of neglected home improvement tasks and pet projects. Most likely leave most of them unfinished.
• Do something about this blog and my personal online brand.
• Update my employment history/status all over the Web (sigh…).
• Get pumped up for my new job!

Speaking of…

In mid-August I’ll be starting as Director of Marketing & Sales for WebJunction.org, a division of OCLC funded by grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. WebJunction recently secured a new grant in order to expand and develop their site and offerings and drive towards self-sustainability. My role will be a part of that effort.

What drew me to WebJunction? WebJunction is an organization focused on building a thriving online and local community in support of a cool social mission. It is also loaded with people who are both passionate about that mission as well as being serious experimenters with all the tools and technologies we’ve come to love under the Web 2.0 banner.

Beyond that: I was looking for a chance to work on a small team again; to find a role that encompasses all aspects of marketing from PR and MarCom to product marketing and sales; to put a lot of the community marketing skills I’ve gained to the test; and in general for a change of scenery. WebJunction fits all of that perfectly, so I am very excited (errr, “super excited” to use my Microsoft lingo!) to join the group.

You’ll still find me blogging, on email (kevinbriody AT gmail DOT com), and on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Feel free to add me as friend or contact on any of those if you want to keep in touch, or just watch this RSS feed for all my latest.

To everyone at Microsoft, I still have a tight family connection back to the company so you just might see me trolling the holiday parties down the road or wandering the halls with a visitors badge on. Keep in touch, I’m not going far! :)

Now…off to pack for Vegas.